Bag provided with means for the temporary association of a filter

Abstract

The disclosure includes a flexible bag ( 1 ) intended to receive a biological fluid with a view to its centrifugation. The bag includes an external enclosure ( 2 ) formed by two sheets of flexible plastic ( 3, 3 ′) connected at their periphery ( 4 ) so as to define an internal volume ( 5 ) for the fluid. The external enclosure ( 2 ) is provided with at least one inlet ( 6 ) and/or outlet ( 7 ) orifice for the fluid. The bag ( 1 ) also includes means ( 8 ) for the temporary association of at least one component with the bag ( 1 ). The means ( 8 ) is disposed on the external enclosure ( 2 ), in which the temporary association means are assembled on the bag ( 1 ) on a part of the periphery ( 4 ) of the enclosure ( 2 ) and are arranged to allow the insertion of the component between the means ( 8 ) and the enclosure ( 2 ) so as to provide temporary association during the centrifugation of the bag ( 1 ).

1. A flexible bag assembly for receiving a biological fluid comprising:
 a flexible bag having an external enclosure formed by two sheets of flexible plastic connected at their periphery; and 
 means disposed on the periphery of the external enclosure operable to allow temporary insertion of at least one component between the means and the external enclosure; 
 wherein temporary insertion of the at least one component allows temporary association of the at least one component with the exterior of the flexible bag during centrifugation; 
 and wherein the at least one component comprises a filter attached to the flexible bag by at least one tube. 
 
     
     
       2. The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a flexible filter. 
     
     
       3. The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein temporary association of the at least one component with the flexible bag during centrifugation forms a compact assembly of the at least one component and the bag. 
     
     
       4. A bag system comprising:
 a flexible bag operable to contain a biological fluid and to be centrifuged and having an external enclosure; 
 at least one flexible plastic member disposed on the external enclosure and operable to allow temporary insertion of at least one component between the plastic member and the external enclosure and not into an internal volume during centrifugation; 
 and wherein the at least one component comprises a filter attached to the flexible bag by at least one tube. 
 
     
     
       5. The bag system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one plastic member comprises at least one flexible strip of plastic disposed on the external enclosure to form a passage between the strip and the external enclosure. 
     
     
       6. The bag system of  claim 5 , wherein the flexible bag comprises a substantially rectangular bag. 
     
     
       7. The bag system of  claim 4  where in the filter comprises a flexible filter. 
     
     
       8. The bag system of  claim 4 , wherein temporary association of the component with the flexible bag during centrifugation forms a compact assembly of the component and the bag. 
     
     
       9. The bag system of  claim 4 , further comprising the plastic member welded to the external enclosure of the bag. 
     
     
       10. A method of separating blood into constituent parts comprising:
 providing blood in a flexible bag assembly having a flexible bag with an external enclosure and a plastic member disposed on the external enclosure and at least one additional component; 
 inserting the additional component between the external enclosure and the plastic member and not in an internal volume; and 
 centrifuging the assembly to separate the blood into constituent parts; 
 removing the additional component from between the external enclosure and the plastic members; 
 and wherein the at least one additional component comprises a filter. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising filtering a constituent part using the filter. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein inserting further comprises placing the additional component substantially in the center of a side of the external enclosure. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inserting step limits movement of the additional component with respect to the flexible bag during the centrifuging step.